The compound cisplatin (cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II)) has become well known in the treatment of various cancers in mammals. The material is toxic and hence can be used only in low dosages. It would be desirable to provide an effective product which could be tolerated in a mammalian body in larger doses and would exhibit a longer half-life. It would also be desirable to provide an effective composition which possessed enhanced solubility in water and serum in comparison to cisplatin. It is to these and other problems that the present invention is directed.